Patrick Mahomes, the dude who practically rewrote the QB rulebook, is heading into this fantasy season ranked 13th among quarterbacks by ESPN, 15th by Yahoo!, and with a 12th consensus ADP on Sleeper. You read that right: 13th! This is easily his lowest ranking ever leading into a fantasy season.
The Mahomes Effect: QB Freefall and RB Uproar
It’s wild to see Mahomes so low, but he’s earned it, finishing in this realm the last few years. Add that torn ACL and LCL recovery, and suddenly, he’s looking at possibly falling past the ninth round in a 12-team draft, sitting at 103rd overall in consensus ADP. Could be a steal or a huge bust. The Chiefs’ overall fantasy outlook feels seriously overlooked because of this. Drafting your favorite players might be easier, but is it smart? That’s the question for 2026.
Then you got Kenneth Walker, whose draft position is all over the map. ESPN has him 14th among running backs, Yahoo! at 12th, but Sleeper is hyping him up at 6th. That’s a huge swing, from a late-first-round pick to maybe a third-round choice. Emmett Johnson, the rookie back, is way down at 166th consensus ADP; he’s a potential final-round dart throw.
WR Drama and the Vet TE Slide
Rashee Rice is definitely a name to watch at wide receiver, ranked 9th by ESPN, 15th by Yahoo!, and 13th by Sleeper. He’s a solid third- or fourth-round pick. Then there’s Xavier Worthy, their former first-round pick, seen as the secondary wideout. He’s at 51st on ESPN, 47th on Yahoo!, and 54th on Sleeper, making him a 10th- or 11th-round grab. Tyquan Thornton barely makes some lists, not even in ESPN’s top-60, though Yahoo! has him at 94th. He could be a last-round flier if he steps up. Brashard Smith, versatile with returns, snuck into the top-300 consensus ADP at 299th.
And what about Travis Kelce? This dude used to go with the top wideouts and running backs, and now he’s slated as an eighth- or ninth-round pick, ranking 10th by ESPN, 13th by Yahoo!, and 14th by Sleeper among tight ends. Talk about a veteran slide!
Rounding out the Chiefs’ fantasy options, Harrison Butker is an 8th-ranked kicker on ESPN, but 15th on Yahoo! He feels like a boom-or-bust pick you might just grab off waivers if the offense starts hot. And the Chiefs D/ST? It’s ranked 14th by ESPN, 13th by Yahoo!, and 17th by Sleeper. There’s a strong case to actually draft them and roll with that unit all season. The Chiefs are going to be a fascinating fantasy riddle this year. Do you take the risk on Mahomes falling, or scoop up those potentially undervalued pieces? Your draft hinges on it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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